Photo by Mr T in DC
Now that we have the two major party presidential nominees picked out, it’s time to start thinking about local elections. And for us, that means ANC elections! This is your chance to really make a difference in your neighborhood, so consider running!
Interested candidates will then have until close of business on Wednesday, August 10th, to return the petitions with the signatures of (at least) 25 registered voters who also live in the Single Member District (SMD) that they wish to represent. And on November 8th, Election Day, the voters will make their selection. To figure out which ANC and SMD you live in (and who your commissioner is) put your address into the form DC Citizen Atlas.
As in past years, we will be posting candidacy statements from candidates in ANC 6A, 6B, 6C and 6D leading up to the elections so you can learn more about your candidates. If you are running and would like to get in touch, please contact us at thehillishome@gmail.com
Need a refresher on what the ANC is?
As stated by dc.gov, “The ANCs’ main job is to be their neighborhood’s official voice in advising the District government on things that affect their neighborhoods. Although they are not required to follow the ANCs’ advice, District agencies are required to give the ANC’s recommendations ‘great weight.’ Moreover, District law says that agencies cannot take any action that will significantly affect a neighborhood unless they give the affected ANC 30 days’ advance notice. This includes zoning, streets, recreation, education, social services, sanitation, planning, safety, budget, and health services. The ANCs also initiate recommendations for improving city services, conduct neighborhood improvement programs, and monitor resident complaints.”
The ANCs in the city are grouped by Ward and then each is subdivided into a number of smaller areas called Single Member Districts (SMDs). Each SMD, which consists of approximately 2,000 people, gets one SMD Commissioner to represent them on their ANC. For example, ANC 6B has 10 SMDs, which means that ANC 6B has 10 Commissioners, each representing a chunk of the ANC, as seen in this map. The biggest ANCs have 12 SMDs, while the smallest only have two. So basically, your neighbor up the street is your voice in community meetings where decisions about your street are made. ANCs weigh in on whether or not streets should be shut down for marathons, whether or not a restaurant should have its liquor license renewed, whether or not your neighbor should be able to build a deck on their roof…and much more. So making sure that your commissioner knows where you stand, and showing up to the monthly meetings to voice your opinion can have an impact.
To figure out which ANC and SMD you live in (and who your commissioner is) put your address into the DC Citizen Atlas.